Microchips, Inc.

Tecan Trading Ag

Magellan Diagnostics, Inc.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Microchips Biotech, Inc.

Gamera Bioscience Corp.

Norman F Sheppard, Jr

John T Santini, Jr

Robert Samuel Langer

Scott Albert Uhland

Michael John Cima

Stephen Jack Herman

Chung Chang Young

Gregory John Kellogg

Benjamin F Polito

Bruce L Carvalho

Dennis Ausiello

John M Maloney

Jonathan Robert Coppeta

Stephen G Kieffer-Higgins

Alec Mian

Christina M Feakes

Zouhair Sbiaa

Douglas Snell

Barry Y Yomtov

Gary Conrad Jensen

Kurt G Shelton

Catherine M B Santini

Barry Mitchell Yomtov

Robert Farra

Kenneth L Hilts

Nolan T Flynn

Rebecca S Shawgo

Kevin E Noonan

A method for measuring hemoglobin concentration in a whole blood sample is disclosed. The method may include mixing a whole blood sample with a lysing agent, followed by manual agitation, flowing the whole blood or mixture into a reservoir of a sensor, the sensor comprising a transparent portion configured to allow an optical measurement of an absorbance or reflectance of the whole blood sample in the reservoir of the sensor; detecting, using an analyzer into which at least a portion of the sensor has been inserted, the whole blood sample in the reservoir of the sensor; upon detecting the liquid whole blood sample in the reservoir, optically measuring an absorbance or reflectance of the whole blood sample using a light source and a detector in the analyzer; and determining a concentration of hemoglobin in the whole blood sample based on the measured absorbance or reflectance and a calibration curve that relates the absorbance or reflectance to the concentration of hemoglobin in the whole blood sample.

Methods and systems for optical hemoglobin measurement

A sensor and analyzer for measuring an analyte in a liquid sample are disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate with a reservoir disposed therein. The reservoir may include a top surface and a bottom surface, at least one transparent portion forming at least a part of the bottom surface of the reservoir, and a reflector disposed on the upper surface of the reservoir at a location opposite the at least one transparent portion. The analyzer may include a support surface, an aperture extending through the support surface, a light source disposed below the support surface and oriented so that at least a portion of the light emitted from the light source passes through the aperture, and a detector configured to measure an intensity of light received at the detector.

Combination optical hemoglobin and electrochemical lead assay

Compression cold welding methods, joint structures, and hermetically sealed containment devices are provided. The method includes providing a first substrate having at least one first joint structure which comprises a first joining surface, which surface comprises a first metal; providing a second substrate having at least one second joint structure which comprises a second joining surface, which surface comprises a second metal; and compressing together the at least one first joint structure and the at least one second joint structure to locally deform and shear the joining surfaces at one or more interfaces in an amount effective to form a metal-to-metal bond between the first metal and second metal of the joining surfaces. Overlaps at the joining surfaces are effective to displace surface contaminants and facilitate intimate contact between the joining surfaces without heat input. Hermetically sealed devices can contain drug formulations, biosensors, or MEMS devices.

Compression and cold weld sealing method for an electrical via connection

Electrochemical sensor devices are provided, in various amperometric, potentiometric, and conductometric sensor device configurations. An amperometric sensor device may include a structural body which has at least one reservoir that has at least one opening; a working electrode located within the reservoir; analyte sensor chemistry located within the reservoir and deposited on at least the working electrode; an auxiliary electrode located outside of the reservoir; a reference electrode; at least one reservoir cap closing the opening to isolate the working electrode and analyte sensor chemistry within the reservoir and to prevent an analyte outside of the reservoir from contacting the analyte sensor chemistry; and means for rupturing or displacing the reservoir cap to permit the analyte from outside of the reservoir to contact the analyte sensor chemistry.

Electrochemical biosensors and arrays

Arrays of biosensors are provided along with methods for operating the arrays of biosensors. The array of biosensors may include a first reference electrode that is connected to an input of a first control amplifier; a first working electrode and a second working electrode in proximity with the first reference electrode; and a counter electrode that is connected to at least an output of the first control amplifier, where the first control amplifier is operative with the counter electrode to maintain a first specified voltage between the first working electrode and the first reference electrode, and between the second working electrode and the first reference electrode. The array of biosensors optionally may further include a second reference electrode that is connected to an input of a second control amplifier, where the second control amplifier is operative with the counter electrode to maintain a second specified voltage between the first working electrode and the second reference electrode, and between the second working electrode and the second reference electrode.

Multi-channel potentiostat for biosensor arrays

A medical device is provided which may include a reservoir which has an opening and contains a sensor; a reservoir cap closing off the opening to isolate the sensor from an environmental component outside the reservoirs, the reservoir cap being impermeable to the environmental component and adapted to selectively undergo a phase change to disintegrate the reservoir cap and thereby expose the sensor to the environmental component. A method of use may include (i) selectively disintegrating a reservoir cap to expose a sensor which is disposed inside a reservoir of a device implanted in a patient, the disintegrating comprising inducing a phase change in the reservoir cap; and (ii) using the sensor to generate an output signal, wherein the output signal is recorded and stored in a writeable computer memory chips, directed to a microprocessor for immediate analysis and processing, or sent to a remote location away from the device.

Medical device with reservoir-based sensors

A method is provided for monitoring the status of a medical device implanted in a patient. The method includes the steps of implanting in a patient a medical device which comprises (i) a substrate in which two or more reservoirs are located, with each covered by a reservoir cap, (ii) a drug or sensor located in the reservoir, (iii) a power source and actuation electronics for disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir cap, and (iv) a telemetry system; and then using said telemetry system to wirelessly transmit to a remote controller data about the condition of the power source and/or data about which reservoirs have been or have yet to be activated to release the drug therefrom or to expose the sensor therein.

Method for wirelessly monitoring implanted medical device

Devices, such as medical devices, are provided which include a body portion having at least one reservoir which has two or more openings, the two or more openings being defined in part by a reservoir cap support; reservoir contents, such as a drug formulation or sensor, disposed inside the reservoir; and a reservoir cap which closes off the two or more reservoir openings. The reservoir cap, which can be ruptured, controls release or exposure of the reservoir contents. In one embodiment, the device is an implantable medical device and provides for the controlled release of drug or exposure of a sensor.

Multi-opening reservoir devices for controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents

Methods and systems are provided for delivering drug to the eye. The method and system may include implanting into the eye a device which comprises two or more discrete reservoirs, each reservoir containing a drug; and directing focused light to the implanted device to open a first one of the reservoirs and thereby permit the drug to diffuse from the first reservoir to the patient's eye.

Method and system for drug delivery to the eye

Devices and methods are provided for the controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents. The device includes a substrate, a plurality of reservoirs in the substrate, reservoir contents disposed in the reservoirs, discrete reservoir caps covering each reservoir to seal the reservoir contents in the reservoirs, and control circuitry for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps to release or expose the reservoir contents in vivo. At least one of the reservoir caps comprises a first electrically conductive layer coated with one or more protective layers. In one embodiment, the control circuitry comprises an electrical input lead and an electrical output lead connected to and directly contacting each of said reservoir caps and a source of electric power for applying an electrical current through each reservoir cap in an amount effective to rupture each of the reservoir caps.

Containment device with multi-layer reservoir cap structure

Hermetically sealing using a cold welded tongue and groove structure

An implantable medical device is provided for use with an external detector to detect an analyte in vivo. In one embodiment, the device consisting essentially of a substrate; a plurality of discrete reservoirs located in the substrate, each reservoir having at least one opening; a reacting component contained in each reservoir; and at least one non-degradable barrier layer covering each reservoir opening, the barrier layer being permeable to an analyte to be detected, wherein the reacting component remains inside the reservoirs and can react with the analyte to be detected, and wherein the device is adapted for implantation into the body of a patient.

Implantable medical device for diagnostic sensing

Devices and methods for the controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents, and methods of manufacture thereof, are provided. The device includes a reservoir cap formed of an electrically conductive material, which prevents the reservoir contents from passing out from the device and prevents exposure of the reservoir contents to molecules outside of the device; an electrical input lead connected to said reservoir cap; and an electrical output lead connected to said reservoir cap, such that upon application of an electrical current through the reservoir cap, via the input lead and output lead, the reservoir cap ruptures to release or expose the reservoir contents. The reservoir contents can comprise a release system containing drug molecules for release or can comprise a secondary device, such as a sensor. The controlled release system may be incorporated into an implantable drug delivery or biosensing device.

Method for making device for controlled reservoir opening by electrothermal ablation

A method is provided for selectively opening a containment reservoir. The method includes providing a device which comprises a substrate in which at least one reservoir is located and covered by a reservoir cap; and directing laser light to the reservoir cap to cause the reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable. The device may be an implantable medical device. The reservoirs may contain a drug for controlled release or a biosensor.

Growing community of inventors

New Ipswich, NH, United States of America

Norman F Sheppard, Jr